1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrated circuit production, and more particularly to a method for enhancing the electronic properties of silicon dioxide insulating layers in metal oxide semiconductor devices, decreasing hole trapping and thereby increasing radiation hardness, by a rapid thermal annealing of the integrated circuit wafer at a stage during production when the silicon dioxide insulating layer is exposed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art techniques for enhancing the electronic properties of silicon dioxide insulating layers in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices includes the use of long anneals at 1000 C.
The prior art techniques do not teach nor suggest the rapid thermal annealing of silicon dioxide insulating layers in MOS device wafers, but rather require very long anneals, which do not provide the desired enhancement of electronic properties.
Various thermal treatments of semiconductor materials, as contrasted to thermal treatments of silicon dioxide insulating layers, are known in the prior art. Such treatments have application in healing ion implantation damage, in activating implanted dopants, and in other mechanisms affecting semiconductor properties; there is however no unified theory of thermal treatments which might predict success of a short anneal of silicon dioxide insulating layers.